Whats more Canadian then snow?

My housemate got himself a round trip humanitarian/goodwill/volunteer half way around the world in Belize. To get eaten up by mosquitoes and build houses, I believe.

Rather than stew in the juices of my petty petty jealousy (he made chocolates! Drank beer on ancient ruins! Build goddamn houses for the good of mankind!), I went on an equally exotic trip: to Ottawa.

A place with mysterious ruins and symbols...

Fearsome, barely tamed beasts...

A topsy turvy world where little people roamed the land...

And folks walked on water.

We were hosted by my friend's parents, who live in their hand built cottage out in the country. Ate like kings, drank like fish. Broke several bones in the pelvic area from an impromptu sledding trip down a hill behind the town church. ("if it wasn't "WATCH OUT FOR THE PIPE" it was "WATCH OUT FOR THE TREES" or "DON'T GO OFF THE CLIFF!"). Skated a hard 4 km on a bumpy, frozen body of water. Dodged several fast moving (backward skating, show-offs) children.

Seriously. This weekend is the last of Winterlude. Do yourself a favour and pack up as many friends and pets as possible into a sedan, and head on down for skating on the Rideau Canal. The bearclaws and piping hot drinks are wicked awesome.

Weeekeeed ahhh-suhm.